Masterton council in the black

Masterton District Council has remained within budget and has $2 million less debt than planned and $1.85 million more than had been anticipated in special funds and reserves equity accounts.

As the dawn of a new era in Masterton local body politics unfolds, latest figures contained in the annual report reveal the Masterton District Council has been living within its means.

The report was adopted at the inaugural meeting of the newly elected council on Wednesday and showed council has managed its finances within set budgets.

It also has $2million less debt than planned and $1.85million more than had been anticipated in special funds and reserves equity accounts.

The end financial result is an operating deficit caused by one-off losses and gains on asset revaluations. After excluding those valuation adjustments the result is an operating surplus of $634,000.

That is 1.8 per cent of operating expenditure, meaning the council is within budget.

According to the annual report, the council's focus has been on assessing the best structure for the delivery of local government services throughout Wairarapa.

That has resulted in Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa District Councils submitting a joint proposal to the Local Government Commission.

They have thrown their weight behind a Wairarapa unitary authority proposal and Masterton's share of the cost of work done was $340,000, a figure the council claims was able to be met from savings made from corporate budgets.

The annual report, which is 125 pages long, talks of progress made on a variety of service delivery issues.

Those include roading, sewerage and water.

The Homebush project reached a milestone with the commissioning of new ponds and river diffuser, the council recognising the sewerage plant upgrade had been its major focus for five years, but also a project "at the upper end of affordability for our urban ratepayers".

Early indications are that the new ponds are working well.

Achievements during the year include sewer main and lateral renewals more than 4km and a like amount of water main was renewed. New 24-hour toilets were built at Kuripuni, Queen Elizabeth Park and at Riversdale beach.

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson said the previous administration had done a huge amount of work but a lot of infrastructural work remained to be done. The council had to be mindful of the need to maintain infrastructure while at the same time moving forward.

Masterton district had assets totalling $725million and its total liability was $60million, Mrs Patterson said.